Nautilus International is an independent, influential, global trade union and professional organisation, committed to delivering high quality, cost-effective services to members, and welfare support to necessitous seafarers, their dependants and other maritime professionals.

Nautilus works with members, the maritime community, national governments and international agencies to create change, which improves the lives of maritime professionals. We give a voice to maritime professionals from the very beginning of their training, throughout their employment and into retirement.

In this section, you can find out about the Union's legal and welfare services to members. You can also find information about some of the issues members face and suggestions on what you can do about them.

Don't exclude seafarers from pay cap lifting, says Nautilus

13 September 2017

British seafarers delivering vital aid to hurricane-stricken islands in the Caribbean should not continue to be subjected to the government's hardline pay policy, Nautilus says.

The Union said it would be wrong to keep the pay cap for Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) seafarers – and other 'public service' crews – because of their vital work in supporting UK maritime interests, including defence, humanitarian support, and navigational safety.

The government is wrong to adopt a "divide and rule" policy for public sector pay – and it should not exclude seafarers working for the RFA, Natural Environment Research Council, British Antarctic Survey, Marine Scotland Compliance, the UK Border Force and other essential shipping operations from any move to lift the austerity restrictions.
Nautilus general secretary, Mark Dickinson

'Once again, the RFA is in the front line of UK crisis response, and our members have been delivering life-saving support to stricken communities. It is time for the government to deliver for them, and to ensure that public service shipping can recruit and retain the skilled seafarers it needs for the future,' Mr Dickinson added.

After the government moved to lift the public sector pay cap to offer a pay rise to prison and police officers, Trades Union Congress general secretary Frances O'Grady said: 'Police and prison officers are long overdue a pay rise, but so too are the nurses, firefighters and all public servants working across the country.

'This is not a popularity contest. Ministers must not cherry-pick some workers for a pay rise, while leaving others in the cold. Public sector workers' pay has fallen for seven long years. They have all earned a pay rise.'